Greatest Bass Players of All Time

Man he isn't on this list because you don't know him, but take a look at him in youtube or something and tell me if he shouldn't be quite high on this ranking

John Coltrane wrote a tune (Mr. P.C.) for him. 'nuff said

You'll need to learn about him to understand what I mean. Hit up YouTube for some tracks.

“the great dane with the never-ending name” - as a sideman of Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass and many others he is one of the most musical and virtuous bass players in jazz. Hear for example the astonishing work on "Nigerian Marketplace".

Amazing bass lines in almost every Modest Mouse song.

1 of the great great latin bass players

His bass lines are melodic

Played with Zappa, absolutely fantastic.

He's a hell of a bass player! And he looks like a freakin' gremlin' on stage. God damn he rocks! Actually, all members of BtBam should be highly ranked. Wonderful musicians it has.

plays bass for reset and simple plan good singer too

Played for Ray Charles, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, was the Musical Director for The Impressions. Google him.

Behind the scenes player with almost every STAX artist

Why? Because popularity doesn't equal quality. Because this list makes me sad. Because fast playing doesn't equal quality (again). Because most of you should check up the term "dynamics"

Truly amazing french bass player, of the whom switches from hi-speed tapping to slap left more than one speechless.

One of the best contemporary blues bassist going. Clean, strong lines that always support the leader and never get in the way

A great all around bassist, some of the tastiest bass lines ever.

an astounding bassist who can play just about any style imaginable, with great soloing and improv chops showcased in situations like the Aquarium Rescue Unit, but who can sit back and settle in on the groove as in the Allmans.

No list can be complete without Walter Page and his famous 'walking bass' technique of which he was the innovator. Although he died in 1957 his music lives on with his own band, but he can be heard at his best in the 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert with the finest of Benny Goodman's bands.

Simply because he inspired many to pick up a bass guitar in a town that offered few possibilities. We play only because we saw him rock to fuck. A live performance to die for every gig. He also happens to be rather good. Thanks richard, my life changed direction for the better thanks to you x

Played with some top performers

He is one of the most innovative bassists. He has a unique style of playing.

I do realize journey may be seen as overrated but seriously if you listen to any journey song, and I mean any, other than Raised on Radio material, you'll see what I mean. I'm actually disappointed Randy Jackson was up here on the list in the first place. Back to the music, throughout every album he played on, you can hear the bass and those baselines in my opinion should be higher up.

With 13+ years professional performing and playing experience Johnny Kongo rolls thick when it comes to bass. Either up-right or electric, expect the fat tone and energy only achieved by those that truly love the instrument. Johnny Kongo has played in bands such as: The Fossil Ridge Band, The Vagrents, The Almont Bros String Band, The InSINerators, The Aquasonics, Mad Dog and the Smokin' Js, and Adam Lopez and his Mighty Lowcasters. Recently gone solo, Kongo has teamed up with Denver guitar legend Colfax Slim to create The Johnny Kongo All-Star Show and The Kongo & Slim Cowboy Dope Show.

Eric EQ Young is a PHENOMENAL bass player. He is definitely an entertainer and puts FUNK bass lines in the pocket.

Grand Funk Railroad fame...best bass player of the 70s...live and in studio...creative and knows his place...not too busy...really very solid...Go listen to American Band from '75...great #1 song written around his bass line.

He may not be the best, but he's still pretty good. Especially considering he got into the band McFly at age 15. In 2004, they got into the Guinness Book of World Records for being "the youngest band to have a début album go straight to number one", beating the Beatles. I've seen them play live as well, and they were exceptional.

How in the world has this guy been forgotten? Every single Descendents song has a SICK bass line!

One of the greatest bass players of all time. His credentials are overwhelming! One of the pioneers of solo bass concerts...since 1972. www.davidfriesen.net

Some of the funkiest bass you'll ever hear.

Exquisite bass guitarist. Technically brilliant, the central point of many top tunes for 30 years. Any budding Bass player can learn a great deal from his wide range of style. Rock, Disco, Funk lines - it's all there and replicated in live performances. A very natural Bass player. Makes it look so easy. Top ten IMO.

maybe the best new bass player alive

The Greatest bass players of all time , for the time to come and now ,is ... Mickeal Duff Mc Kagan, Velvet Revolver

John Deacon must be the most underrated bass player of all time... He wrote some of the most memorable hits like Another One Bites The Dust and Under Pressure, yet he is almost never mentioned with the best and seems to be forgotten. This man was 1/4 of arguably the best band ever that was Queen and understandably so. He needs to be remembered and respected as much as anyone else on this list if not more. Just listen to some of the early Queen records lke Liar, The March Of The Black Queen, Flick Of The Wrist and The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke and you will see how important to Queen he was!

Got to be up there.

He is just amazing!! Such groove and passion, but with tons of poer.

Think about it - some people just can sing well and play bass or guitar well AT THE SAME TIME, and others just can't. Wayne does both very well.

One of the best bassplayers in Metal for certain. Playing fretless bass in metal. Check out the album "From the Fjords" a very rare much sought after record.

probably top 3 bass players of all time. Please insert his name and you will see why?

Please place Bakija Bakic into youtube.com and you will see why he one of the greatest players of all time.

Dickie was the Godfather of Metal Bass -before Sabbath-before Purple, before Rush

Severely underrated, look at "The Years of Decay" album.

Best bass player in Africa in the last quarter century. Play and produces for Youssou Ndour. played with many great players like mark Knophler, petter gabriel, sting etc...

Not only does he shred down the guitar, but simultaneously rips it up on his custom two-string. He brings the rock!

The fierce founding father of black metal.Plays bass and vocalises with unadulterated anger and hate.His stamina is unmatched still enjoys shocking and frightening after doing so for 32 years.If you don't undrerstand you never will,if you hate him thats ok,he hates you too.LONG LIVE VENOM!!!!!!

not well known but an amazing bassist

Check out the bass playing on "Can't Stand The Rezillos", it's fast, melodic, huge range and fits the songs perfectly without drowning them out. I play bass and this just leaves me gaping in awe.

Boston pops, boston ballet the best

The intro of "day of the baphomets" EPIC!!!!

In my opinion he is an underated bass player and a lot better than most of the s**t on here !

Duh

Look it up.

This man was one of the pioneers of death metal in the band Death.

es seco escuchen chancho en piedra

"Big Hands"

This guy is superb!!! Very talented musician.

Amazing Post Punk Bassist!!!

Every bit as good as Matt Freeman and Fat Mike.

Thunderous Pounding but thoughtful bass lines contributed massively to the totally unique Sensational Alex Harvey Band sound, not to mention the pouting and stagewear (and dancing)

Bernard Edwards is in the list. This guy should be too

+ Andy Newmark = Sly and The Family Stone. It was all downhill from there. But take a look sometime at his credits - they are outstanding

Top 15 at least

his playing can make a ad day into a good one

Im actually quite surprised he is not on this list, if you dont know who he is, he is the bassist frim Mudvayne. The sheer complexity alone is reason enough for this man to be considered an all time great. Aside from that, the things he comes up with are catchy ass hell. For example the song "Dig", the bass/guitar intro says it all. As far as complexity, check out "Internal Primates Forever"

Big phat bass notes and harmonies to follow. The bass player of your dreams to work with!

Just listen to the first blues traveler album or any for that matter. A great talent who went to young!

Great funk mixed with metal in earlier albums.

Magazine and Bad Seeds bass player. Came up with some fantastic bass lines and has done many other things in his time.

How can you even have this conversation without including him....better check youtube! While you're at it, if you're gonna talk about drummers, he belongs there too!!

Do i need to say why?

just relax n listen

He is great! he plays sting of the bumblebee and and the william tale oveture(in like 2 mins).pound for pound he is the best metal bass player.HAi Hail, Hail and KIll!

Founding member of both Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span.

The speed and accuracy it takes to play any cannibal corpse bass line is a trait many bass players overlook alex webster is a technical master.

One the freshest, smartest talents in the new era. Besides her three projects, Performing with numerous legends like Stanley Clarke. Dave Letterman saids that "she is the coolest guest he has ever been on his show" That includes Stanley Clarke and Barrack Obama.

He has been a premier Gospel bassist for over 25 yrs. He has been on the cover of Bass Player multiple times and...began his career with the late Rev. James Cleveland. He has performed or recorded with such artists as, The Hawkins Family, The Winans, The Jazz Crusaders, Andrae Crouch, Sandra Crouch, Tremaine HawkinsDonna Summer, Cheryl Lynn, Madonna, Destinys Child, Jullio Iglesias, Michael Jackson, Oleta Adams, Mavis Staples, Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston Rev James Moore, The Mississippi Mass Choir, Gladys Knight, Billy Preston, Joe Cocker Heather Hedley, Mary Mary, Patti Labelle, Ruben Studdard, Howard Hewitt, Yolanda Adams, Shirley Ceasar, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Vanessa Bell-Armstrong, The Clark Sisters, Bishop Paul S.Morton, Warren G, Coolio, Montel Jordan, George Duke, Fred Hammond, Commisioned, Kirk Franklin Lamar Campbell, Vicki Winans, Vicky Yohe, Rizen, The Temptations, and many many more. He currently serves as musical director for the legendary Chaka Khan. His Production credits include the Grammy Award winning album "Thankful", The Gospel Music Workshop of America, The Voices of Watts, Tim Bishop Brown & Miracle Mass Choir, and others. Please tell me this man does not belong in the top 10!

just listen to this guy 64th notes on a fretless cmon

without him Racid songs would be run of the mill...dont scoff cause he plays in a Punk band, the guys awesome

Really? No Larry graham From Graham Central Station? Top three in my opinion. Not even mentioned. No Mark Adams?

He is a good bass fisherman. Should be higher!